Boring type mining machine having drum type cusp cutter



Jan. 13, 1959 F. CARTLIDGE ET AL BORING TYPE MINING MACHINE HAVING DRUM TYPE CUSP CUTTER Filed June 11, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Joseph Gonski AT; ORNEV Jan. 13, 1959 F. cA'ruosE ET AL 2,8 ,5

BORING TYPE MINING MACHINE HAVING DRUM TYPE CUSP CUTTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1957 INVENTOR Frank Carclidge Joseph GonsIki 4 M 1959 AFICARTLIDGE ET AL 2,868,523

BORING TYPE MINING MACHINE HAVING DRUM TYPE CUSP CUTTER Filed June 11, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fi.4 3 g INVENTOR. Frank Carclidge BY Joseph Gonski ATTORNE Y BORING TYPE MINKNG MACHIYE HAVING DRUM TYPE CUSP CUTTER Frank Cartlidge and Joseph Gonski, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 11, 1957, Serial No. 665,062 7 Claims. (Cl. 262--7) This invention relates to improvements in continuous mining machines of the boring type particularly adapted for operation in low seams of coal.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a low and compact continuous mining machine of the boring type for coal and the like, boring a plurality of intersecting bores directly in the working face of a mine, in which the height of the machine is reduced by utilizing rotary drum types of cutters in place of the usual endless cutter chains, for cutting out the unmined cusps of coal depending from the roof of the mine and thereby simplifying the machine and the drive mechanism therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous mining machine for coal and the like of the boring type in which vertically adjustable rotary drum cutters extending transversely of the boring heads replace the usual cutter chains for cutting out the unmined cusps of coal depending from the mine roof, and in which a simplified form of drive connection is provided to drive the cutters in all positions of adjustment with respect to the boring head.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simplified form of continuous boring miner in which the cusps of uncut coal depending from the mine roof are cut by vertically adjustable rotary cutters rotatable about an axis extending transversely of the axis of rotation of the boring cutters, together with a simplified form of universal extensible drive connection from a drive shaft for one of the boring heads to the rotary cutters, providing a drive for the cutters in all positions of vertical adjustment thereof with respect to the boring heads.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 1 Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a continuous mining machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

.Figure 2 is a front end view of the machine shown in Figure 1, with certain parts broken away;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the forward end portion of the machine shown in Figure 1, with certain parts thereof broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure 3, and drawn. to an enlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line'6-6 of Figure 3; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a portion of the left hand rotary drum cutter, illustrating the hit arrangement on the bearing support for the cuttertfor breaking off an edge of the cusp of unmined coal remaining after the boring operation.

In the embodiment of ithe invention illustrated in the drawings, we have generally shown in Figure 1 a con tinuous mining machine 10 of the rotary boring type; in which a plurality of boring heads 11 may cut out an entire seam of coal from the mine floor to the mine roof by driving intersecting bores directly into the coal face. The bores at their points of intersection leave two spaced upstanding cusps of unmined coal extending upwardly from the mine floor, in the spaces between adjacent boring heads, and also leave similar cusps depending from the mine roof between adjacent boring heads. Spaced rotary cutters 13, supported rearwardly of the boring heads 11 and mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the boring heads 11, are provided to cut along the roof in the spaces between the boring heads 11, to cut out the depending cusps of unmined coal and provide a flat roof from one rib of the working place to the other.

The continuous mining machine generally comprises a main frame 15 supported on ground-engaging continuous traction tread devices 16, for transporting the machine from working place to working place and feeding the boring heads 11 into the working face of a coal seam. The continuous traction tread devices 16 are suitably supported and guided for movement along opposite sides of the main frame 15 and are driven from a motor 17, herein. shown as being mounted between said traction tread devices. The mounting of the motor 17 between I the traction tread devices 16 and the drive from said motor to said traction tread devices may be of any well known form, and is no part of the present invention so need not be shown or described further herein.

A conveyor 19 is shown as extending along the main frame 15'; from a position forwardly of the forward end of said main frame beyond the rear end of said main frame, for conveying the mined coal deposited thereon by gathering devices 20, beyond the rear end of said main frame for discharge into a room conveyor, shuttle car or the like.

The conveyor 19 may be a well known form of center strand endless chain and flight type of conveyor, which is laterally flexible to accommodate lateral swinging movement of an overhanging discharge end portion 21 of the conveyor by operation of hydraulic swing jacks 22, as is well known to those skilled in the art, so not herein shown or described further.

The conveyor 19 is inclined at its forward or receiving end portion and has an inclined apron 25 extending across the forward end thereof and forwardly therefrom to the ground and beyond opposite sides of said conveyor. The apron 25 also extends upwardly along opposite sides of the inclined portion of said conveyor and forms a mounting for the gathering devices 20. The outer side margins of the apron 25 have retaining walls 26 extending upwardly therefrom and therealong, to confine the broken down material to said conveyor.

The gathering devices 20 are like those shown in a companion application Serial No. 665,065, filed here with, and consist of a pair of cutter bars 33, mounted on the apron Z5 and extending along the ground in advance of the forward end of said apron and then inclined to extend upwardly along said apron along opposite sides of the conveyor 19. Cutter bit carrying cutter chains 34 are guided for orbital movement about said cutter bars and driven from individual motors 37 (Figure 1).

The forward end portions of the cutter bars 33 ex tending along the ground are positioned at their forward ends directly in alignment with the uncut portions left between the overlapping mining heads 11, to completely cut out the cusps of uncut coal along the floor as the cutter chains pick up the mined coal from the ground and load it onto the receiving end of the inclined elevating' portion of the conveyor 19, and the machine advances to feed the cutter bits into the upstanding cusps.

Patented Jan. 13,. 1959 heads 11 for rotatable movement with respect thereto.

The beam 4 3 has forked lugs d5 extending forwardly therefrom adjacent opposite ends thereof forming su orting connectors for hydraulic lacks 57, mounted o rear wall 50 of the outboard gear housing 44-, for vertically moving the outboard gear housing 44 with respect to the beam 43 and holding said outboard gear housing in adjusted relation with respect to said as in our aforementioned companion application.

The outboard gear housing 4-4 and boring heads are maintained in the desired angular relation with re spect to the ground during and after changes in vertical height of said outboard gear housing and mining heads with respect to the beam 43, and are tilted to change the grade of the place being mined by means of a tilting Each 53 trunnioned within the hollow interior portion of the beam 43, and pivotally connected to the wall 51b of the outboard gear housing 44, as in our companion application mentioned before.

The boring heads 11 are well known forms of boring heads commonly used in boring types of continuous mining machines like those shown in our companion application, so need only herein be shown and described in sufficient detail to render our invention readily understandable. Each boring head 11 has an arm 67 extending radially from a hub 69 mounted on a drive shaft 71 The arm 67 is of a fixed length and has an arcuate segment 71 extending forwardly of the outer end thereof, the arc of which is struck from the center of rotation of the arm 67. The segment 71 has circumferentially spaced cutter blocks and bits 73 extending forwardly therefrom.

An arm 75 extends from the hub 69 in a diametrically opposite direction from the arm 67. The arm 75 is hollow and has an arm 76 telescopically mounted therein and having an arcuate segment 77 extending forwardly from the outer end thereof. Cutter blocks and bits 79 extend forwardly of the arcuate segment 77. The arm '76 may be extensibly and retractibly adjusted with respect to the arm 75 and may be held in position with respect to said arm to vary the diameter of the bore, by a power driven screw type of adjusting mechanism such as is shown in Patent No. 2,772,870, dated December 4, i956, and no part of the present invention so not herein shown or described further. A pilot cutter 8d extends forwardly from the center of the boring head 11 and has annularly arranged cutter blocks and bits 81 projecting forwardly therefrom in advance of the cutter blocks 73 and 79.

It will be seen from Figure 2 that the cutter blocks and bits 73 and 79 of the three boring heads 11 are arranged out of phase with respect to each other so that the path of cutting of one boring head intersects the path of cutting of the next adjacent boring head to completely mine all of the coal in the coal face, except the upstanding and depending cusps of unmined coal spaced on opposite sides of the center boring head.

T he boring heads 11 are driven from a motor (not shown) on the main frame through a universal drive connection including a constant velocity universal joint 89 mounted on the outer end of a shaft 96 journaled within the outboard gear housing 44. The shaft 90 serves as a drive shaft for reduction gear trains indicated generally by reference character 91 and driving the shafts iii, for driving the three boring heads 11 at the same rates of speed, as in our aforementioned companion application.

The rotary cutters 13 are shown as being drum types of cutters including cylindrical drums 92 having cutter bits 93 projecting outwardly from the faces thereof, for cutting out the depending cusps of unmined coal left between the adjacent boring heads 11. As herein shown, the drums 92 are mounted on a transversely extending drive shaft 35 spaced forwardly of a support plate 96 and supported thereon in advance of said support plate.

The shaft is jcurnaled at one end, which is shown in Figure 3 as being its right hand end, on a ball bearing 97 mounted in a support arm 99 extending outwardly from the support plate 96 at the right hand end thereof.

The shaft 95 is journaled intermediate its ends adjacent the inner end of the left hand cutter 13 on a ball bearing 100 mounted in a bearing cap 101 mounted in a support 1113 extending forwardly of the plate 96 and stpported thereon. The support 193 forms one side of a gear casing 104, housing reduction gearing for driving the shaft 95 and including a spur gear 1% keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 95. The reduction gearing also includes an intermediate spur gear 106 mounted on a shaft 107, mounted at its ends in opposite portions of the gear casing 104 and a spur gear 1159 journaled on a stud 111 extending inwardly of the support 193. Ball bearings 112 mounted on the stud 111 are provided to rotatably mount the gear 1619 thereon. The spur gear 199 has a hub 113 extending outwardly of the easing 1% and suitably sealed thereto and having an outer drive member 115 of a universal coupling 116 secured to the face thereof, as by machine screws 117. The universal coupling 116 provides a drive to the spur gear 199 from the shaft '70 as will hereinafter more clearly appear as the specification proceeds.

it will be noted from Figure 3 that the rotary cutter 13, shown as being the left hand cutter, is shorter than the rotary cutter 13 for cutting out the cusp between the right hand boring heads. The left hand rotary cutter therefore does not cut entirely to the inner end of the cusp of uncut coal left by the center boring head 11. The uncut coal left between the inner end of the left hand rotary cutter 13 and the coal left by the center boring head 11 is shown as being cut by three chisel pointed bits 113, mounted in the top of the gear housing and support 193 and gouging a path through the inner portion of the cusp left by the left hand cutter 13, as the boring heads 11 are advanced into the coal seam.

The plate 96 is guided for vertical movement with respect to the boring head 11 on dovetail guides 119 extending rearwardly from said plate, adjacent each end thereof, and having slidable engagement with corresponding dovetail guides 120 extending along spaced vertically extending members 121 extending along the forward wall of theoutboard gear housing 44, and guiding the plate 96 to adjust the cutting positions of the rotary cutters 13 with respect to the mine roof.

The means for vertically adjusting the plate 96 and rotary cutters 13 and accommodating the cutters 13 to cut out the cusps of unmined coal between the boring heads 11 along the mine roof in coal seams of varying thicknesses comprises two laterally spaced screw jacks 123, herein shown as comprising screws 124 mounted at their lower ends in seats 125, projecting forwardly of the lower end portion of the outboard gear housing 24, and spaced inwardly of the outermost drive shafts 70. Each screw 124 is secured to its seat 125 and held from rotation with respect thereto and has a sleeve 126 threaded thereon and forming a nut for the screw jack. The upper end of the sleeve extends within and is journaled in a housing 127 extending forwardly of the plate 96. The sleeve 126 is shown as having a bevel gear 129 formed integrally with the upper end thereof, for driving a corresponding bevel ear 130 on the end of a transverse shaft 131. The shaft 131 is journaled in spaced housings 127 and serves to connect the two screw jacks 123 to operate together.

-- anemone I The sleeve 126 has a worm -gear 135 keyed or otherwise secured thereto and mounted within a worm and 1 worm gear housing 136,:secured to and projecting forwardly of the plate 96. A worm 137 journaled within theworm and worm. gear housing'136 meshes with the worm gear 135 and is herein shown as being on a shaft 139, driven from a motor 14!) mounted on the forward face of the plate 96 and projecting forwardly therefrom.

The motor 140 may be a well known form of fluid operated motor and is no part of the present invention so need not herein be shownor described further.

The sleeves 126 thus form the nuts of the screw jacks and the driving of said sleeves in one direction or another will effect vertical adjustment of the plate 96 -Withrespect to the outboard support housing 44.

\ thereto and driving a bevel pinion 151, keyed or otherwise secured to a drive shaft 153, journaled within an annular bearingsu-pport boss 155 of a housing 156, on

oppositely arranged end thrust roller bearings 157.

The housing 156 is shown as being in. two parts, one part 158 being journaled on the hub 69 ofthe left hand boring cutter 11, on a sleeve bearing 159. An annular seal 160 is provided to seal the outer end of the one part 158 to the hub 69.

A second part 163 is journaled on the shaft 70 on i a sleeve bearing 164, and is sealed to said shaft as by a seal 165 recessed Within the second part 163 and abutting the inside of the sleeve bearing 164. The sec- 0nd part 163 has an annular. flange 166 at its innerend,

abutting the inner open end of the part 158 of the housing 156 and secured thereto as by machine. screws 167. The housing 156 is thus journaled on the hub 69 and shaft 70 for free movement with respect thereto about the axis of said shaft.

The open end of the boss 155 is sealed by an annular seal 169 recessed within an annular end cap 170, suitably secured to the end of the boss 155 and extending inwardly thereof into engagement with. the outer stationary race of the outer thrust bearing 157.

The shaft 153 has a hollow enlarged diameter open end portion, which is shown in Figure 3 as being internally splined and forming a slip collar 171 having drivingengagement with the splined end of ajdrive shaft 173, extending within the slip collar 171 and axially movable with respect thereto. The opposite end of the drive shaft 173 from the slip collar 171 has slidable driving engagement with a drive member 175 of the universal joint 116.

Thus, as the plate 96 is vertically adjusted by opera tion of the screw jacks 123, to position the rotary cut ters 13 in the desired cutting relation with respect to the mine roof, the housing 156 being free to pivot about the shaft 70, accommodates a drive from the bevel gear 150 to the universal coupling 116, in all positions of vertical adjustment of the rotary cutters 13 with respect to the boring heads 11.

While we have herein shown and described one form in which our invention may be embodied, it will be understood that various modifications and variations thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a continuous mining machine for coal and the like, a plurality of boring heads rotatable about parallel axes, means for simultaneously driving said boring heads, a rotary drum cutter spaced rearwardly of said boring heads for rotation about an axis extending transversely thereof, means for vertically adjusting said cutter to cut along the mine roof, and means for driving said cutter U from one of said boring heads, comprising a housing mounted coaxially with one of said boring heads for movement thereabout, a shaft journaled in said housing and extending at right angles to the axis of rotation of said boring head, a rightangled geared drive connection from said boring head to said shaft, and a single universal drive coupling driven by said shaft and having drive connection with said rotary drum cutter,

2. In a continuous mining machine for coal and the like, a mobile main frame, plurality of boring heads mounted at the front end thereof for driving a plurality of intersecting bores in a coal face leaving depending cusps of unmined coal therebetween, individual drive shafts for supporting and driving said boring heads, means for cutting out the unmined coal left by said boring heads, comprising a rotary cutter spaced rearvvardly of said boring heads and mounted therebetween for rotation about an axis extending transversely thereof, and for vertical 1 adjustable movement with respect thereto, and means for driving said rotary cutter from one of said boring head support and drive shafts in all positions of vertical adjustment of said rotary cutter with respect to said boring heads comprising a housing rotatably mounted on a boring head support and drive shaft for movement thereabout, a shaft extending perpendicular to said boring head drive shaft and journaled in said housing, a geared drive connection from said boring head drive shaft to said perpendicular shaft, accommodating pivotal movement of said perpendicular shaft about the axis of said boring head drive shaft, and a universal drive connection from said perpendicular shaft to said rotary cutter.

3. In a continuous mining machine for coal and the like, a mobile main frame, a plurality of boring heads mounted at the front end thereof for driving a plurality of intersecting bores in a coal face, leaving depending cusps of unmined coal therebetween, individual drive shafts for supporting and driving said boring heads, means for cutting out the unmined coal left by said boring heads, comprising a rotary cutter spaced rearwardly of said hering heads and mounted therebetween for rotation about an axis extending transversely thereof, and for vertical adjustable movement with respect thereto, and means for driving said rotary cutter from one of said boring head support and drive shafts in all positions of vertical adjustment of said rotary cutter with respect to said boring heads comprising a housing rotatably mounted on a bor ing head support and drive shaft for movement thereabout, a shaft extending perpendicular to said boring head drive shaft and journaled in said housing, a bevel gear within said housing on said boring head drive shaft and driven therefrom, a bevel pinion journaled within said housing and meshing with said bevel gear and driving said perpendicular shaft, and a universal drive connection from said perpendicular shaft to said rotary cutter including a single universal coupling.

4. In a continuous mining machine for coal and the like, a mobile main frame, a plurality of boring heads mounted at the front end thereof for driving a plurality for cutting out the unmined coal left by said boring heads, comprising a rotary cutter spaced rearwardly of said boring heads and mounted therebetween for rotation about an axis extending transversely thereof, and for vertical adjustable movement with respect thereto, and means for driving said rotary cutter from one of said boring head support and drive shafts in all positions of vertical adjustment of said rotary cutter with respect to said 'bor ing heads comprising a housing rotatably mounted on a boring head support and drive shaft for movement there about, a shaft extending perpendicular to said boring head drive shaft and journaled in said housing, a bevel gear within said housing on said boring head drive shaft and driven therefrom, a bevel pinion journaled within said housing and meshing with said bevel gear and driving said perpendicular shaft, a gear housing vertically movable with said rotary cutter, a plurality of meshing gears journaled therein, for driving said cutter and including a drive gear having a hub and a universal coupling mounted on said hub, and an extensible drive connection from said perpendicular shaft to said universal coupling.

5. In a continuous mining machine for coal and the like, a mobile main frame, a plurality of boring heads mounted in advance of the forward end thereof for driving a plurality of intersecting bores directly into a coal face, power means for rotatably driving said boring heads and including longitudinally extending individual support and drive shafts therefor, a rotary cuter rotatable about an axis extending transversely of the axes of rotation of said boring heads and spaced rearwardly therefrom, means for supporting said cutter for vertical adjustment with respect to said boring heads to out along a mine roof in the spaces between said boring heads, means for driving said cutter from one of said shafts in all positions of vertical adjustment of said cutter with respect to said drive shaft, comprising a gear casing mounted for Vertical adjustment with said cutter depending therefrom, gearing journaled Within said gear casing and having driving engagement with said rotary cutter and including a drive gear, a universal coupling for driving said drive gear and a coupling shaft having slidable driving engagement with said universal coupling, a housing mounted on one of said boring head support and drive shafts for rotation about the axis thereof and slidably supporting the opposite end of said coupling shaft from said universal coupling, and a geared drive connection from said boring head drive shaft to said coupling shaft including a gear journaled Within said housing, for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said boring head drive shaft, a drive connection from said boring head drive shaft to said gear, and a slip coupling driven by said gear and having driving connection with said coupling shaft.

6. In a continuous mining machine for coal and the like, a mobile main frame, a plurality of boring heads mounted in advance of the forward end thereof for driving a plurality of intersecting bores directly into a coal face, power means for rotatably driving said boring heads and including longitudinally extending individual support and drive shafts therefor, a rotary cutter rotatable about an axis extending transversely of the axes of rotation of said boring heads and spaced rearwardly therefrom, means for supporting said cutter for vertical adjustment with respect to said boring heads to cut in the spaces between said boring heads along a mine roof, means for driving said cutter from one of said shafts in all positions of vertical adjustment of said cutter with respect to said shaft, comprising a gear casing supporting said cutter and depending therefrom, gearing journaled Within said gear casing and having driving engagement with said rotary cutter and including a drive gear, a universal coupling for driving said drive gear and a coupling shaft having slidable driving engagement with said universal coupling, a housing mounted on one of said boring head support and drive shafts for rotation about the axis thereof and slidably supporting the opposite end of said coupling shaft from said universal coupling, and a geared drive connection from said boring head drive shaft to said coupling shaft including a bevel gear within said housing, a slip coupling journaled in said housing for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said drive shaft, and a bevel pinion journaled within said housing and driven by said bevel gear for driving said slip coupling and coupling shaft.

7. In a continuous mining machine for coal and the like, a main frame, ground-supported propelling and feeding devices therefor, at least three boring heads supported in advance of said main frame for vertical adjustment with respect thereto, support and drive shafts for said boring heads rotatable about laterally spaced parallel axes extending longitudinally of said main frame, power means for driving said support and drive shafts, spaced rotary cutters mounted on said main frame rearwardly of said boring heads for vertical adjustment with respect thereto for cutting in the spaces between said boring heads, a drive shaft for said cutters extending transversely of the axes of rotation of said boring heads, vertically adjustable support means for said cutters and drive shafts, means for vertically adjusting said support means with respect to said boring heads, and means for driving said cutters in all positions of vertical adjustment with respect to said borings heads comprising a gear casing forming a bearing support for said drive shaft and depending therefrom, drive gearing journaled within said gear casing having driving engagement with said drive shaft and-including a drive gear journaled within said housing, a universal coupling for driving said drive gear, a housing mounted on one of said boring head drive shafts for movement about the axis thereof, a shaft journaled within said housing for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said boring head drive shaft, a slip coupling and coupling shaft connecting said last mentioned shaft with said universal coupling, and right angled drive gearing contained within said housing for driving said slip coupling and coupling shaft from said boring head drive shaft in all positions of said rotary cutters with respect to said boring head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

